Stanford football (1-1, 0-0 ACC) steps into its first conference game as a member of the ACC in the match against Syracuse on Friday, but for junior quarterback Justin Lamson, it is a return to familiar territory.
The redshirt junior, now in his second year on the Farm, spent two years at the university in upstate New York. Now, he heads back to Syracuse with the Cardinal as they prepare to play the Orange for the first time ever.
“I’m super excited about it,” Lamson said in a press conference on Monday. “I know seven of the 11 starters on defense. Knowing who I’m going against is something I’m super excited about, and [feels] like a homecoming game for me.”
While Lamson is not expected to start on Friday, he has emerged as a situational weapon for the Cardinal over the past two years, often deployed in short yardage and goal line situations. The Northern California native has seven career-rushing touchdowns, including two this season.
“I think I’ve shown growth in the offense,” he said. “I know I didn’t have the opportunity to throw much last year. This year I feel like I’m ready for that opportunity.
“Obviously I can do a lot of stuff with my running ability. I’ve shown that, and I’ll keep doing that if I need to, but I’m ready to take the next step in the passing game.”
Syracuse fans have not seen Lamson live after a knee injury ended his 2022 season. Before the injury, Lamson won the backup job but was unable to play after the spring camp accident.
Lamson was drawn to the Farm by Stanford’s academic prowess and proximity to home.
Stanford head football coach Troy Taylor was already familiar with Lamson from his time at Sacramento State, having tried to recruit the former Syracuse quarterback while he was in high school. When Lamson decided to enter the transfer portal after his redshirt freshman year at Syracuse, Taylor said “it was a no-brainer” to try to bring him to Stanford.
While Lamson ultimately decided to leave upstate New York, he still cherishes the time he spent with the Orange, referring to Syracuse as “home.” He still remains close friends with starting linebacker Derek McDonald, his former roommate who is tied for second on the team in tackles.
Lamson has already warned his Stanford teammates that they will be heading into an “electric atmosphere,” as playing in a dome will amplify the cheers of the opposing team’s fans. However, he does not believe the noise will affect the Cardinal offense.
“We’ve played in tough places,” Lamson said. “Just being very good with our communication will be the biggest thing.”
But before anything else, Lamson finds the return to his former college to be an indication of the chaos that conference realignment has introduced to college football.
“When I signed with Stanford, I never thought we’d be playing Syracuse week three my second year here,” Lamson said. “I’m excited to go [back] there and play them.”